The Devil's Playground

Year 1456 Mid Summertide
 
It's been over a year since I arrived in Southern Faerûn. I've had my ups and my downs since coming here but I've managed to survive. I managed to find that city after 10 days on the river. Kormul, this place really is the devil's playground. It can be a hell hole that swallows you whole or a wild adventure full of riches, you just need to know how it works, and who not to piss off. Since coming here I've managed to set up a tidy little business, cargo hauling for the big players. Turns out at the top of the river is a large in land lake where local warlords control the trade. If you've got a boat and a bit of knowhow, the job offers flood in. If you've got a boat that is, the alternative is hauling your cargo on a wagon through the Shaar desert. Well as it happens, since arriving here I've managed to secure myself a ship. She's not the biggest or fastest ship in the world, but she's mine. The Meridian. She's lovely trading sloop I won in a very lucky card game. Lucky because one, I won on the river, and two, the guy who bet her was completely hammered. I'd had a very good night and built myself a nice stack, and I was sitting pretty with three dragons. He called all in with the deed to his boat on the table, and the rest is history. As I said, she's not the fastest, but she more than makes up for it with cargo space. She's been my lifeline to surviving in this desolate and dangerous place.
 
The crew I kept on, mostly, they're a good lot and they know the ship well. Seemed to tiresome to hire and train new crew. I also kept on the previous captain and made him my first mate. It was a risky deal, Tim is a cunning one no doubt. I don't think he'd try anything though, I spared his life in that duel after he refused to resign his captaincy. I try and stay on the boat as much as possible, one to keep an eye on it, and two because the inner city is full of pickpockets and gangs. Dangerous to go anywhere alone, you're easy prey if your on your own. The city is crazy dangerous after dark, way more than usual. As soon as the sun sets the Yuan-ti come out, huge snake men, not a clue what they're saying. Also the Thri-kreen, large insect like humans with four arms. Apparently they can read your mind, very tricky to deal with so I try and avoid them.
 
JH